Our Family Tree
If you were to write an economic history of the United States, you probably would not say anything about certain presidents. Some presidents would loom large; take up a chapter or more, because of their impact on our economics. Barak Obama and George Bush would be up there at the top, not necessarily for good reasons. So, too, would Lyndon Johnson, Franklin Roosevelt, and Andrew Jackson. You would say something about Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover whereas you probably would not say anything about William Henry Harrison or Franklin Pierce or Rutherford B. Hayes.
It’s not that they did not serve as presidents; it’s just that some presidents did not leave a lasting impact on our economic system while others left big footprints and small footprints. Even if you skipped over William Henry Harrison, it would not mean that he did not exist or that he did not serve as president. It would simply mean that he did not fit in to your purpose for writing an economic history of the United States.
That illustrates for us the purpose of 1 & 2 Chronicles and I’ll periodically give some thoughts over the next twelve months from 1 Chronicles. 1 & 2 Kings are a political history of Israel. 1 & 2 Chronicles are a theological history of Israel. Take a look at 2 Chronicles 36:22-23. We learn there that 1 & 2 Chronicles were written during the time of the Persian Empire, after the long 70 years of exile in Babylon.
The Israelites’ hometown and capital had been ransacked and populated by foreigners. Some of them had returned from exile but were now demoralized and to a degree hopeless. They came back excited, yes. But as you know from personal experience, it does not take long for disenchantment to set in. The returning exiles get back home and someone else has been living on their ancestors’ land. Someone else has been harvesting their grapes and tilling their fields and living in their grandparents’ home. Where is God? What about the grand promise God made to Abraham? What about the future of the country? Where were they going?
Kamagra has been an effective viagra uk solution of men’s erection issue. There are various benefits that a cialis no prescription person feels nausea after having meals. The rate of success of involving the sexual buy generic cialis http://greyandgrey.com/buy-1498 dysfunction treatments depends on the specific cause of the problem. If you could look here on line viagra continued with nausea or dizziness during sex, chest pains, take instant medical suggestion. 1 & 2 Chronicles were written –the Jews said it was Ezra – these books were written to give the Jews some hope. Not by predicting the future – that would be the responsibility of the prophets, but by reminding them of the past – their past – their ancestors and of all the wondrous works that God had done through them and for them. Sometimes if we need hope for the future, we need to be reminded of the past – who we are as a people and whose we are as a nation.
There are four emphases in the books (Sailhamer, 11-13): 1. The Davidic dynasty. 2. The covenant. 3. The temple. 4. The nations.
Just two thoughts from 1 Chronicles chapters 1-3. My and your family tree goes back to 1 Chronicles 1:1. Adam’s story is our story. We are descended from Adam physically but, also, spiritually through Jesus Christ. We were created in the same way Adam was – not miraculously but as a result of the love and power of God. Adam’s creator is our Creator.
Secondly, Abraham’s God is our God. The covenant made with David is our covenant. Not much has changed over the last three thousand years. God is still in heaven; He still blesses the faithful and punishes disobedience. Let’s choose to be faithful to Him. That’s the message of the chronicler.
–Paul Holland
